1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to article dispensing machines, and in particular to article dispensing apparatus in which a dispensed article is used as a playing piece in a game of skill or chance before being delivered to a buyer.
2. Background Information
Vending machines are well known for dispensing novelty items stored in generally spherical or egg-shaped containers, and for dispensing a variety of balls which may be rubber toys, hard candy or candy-coated chewing gum balls, etc. One commonly finds several such machines, each displaying items of merchandise stored in a transparent hopper, grouped together in a row to provide the customer with a selection of products.
It is also known to use an item being vended as a playing piece in a game of skill or chance in which the customer or player is awarded additional merchandise or some other prize in response for a successful play. An extensive discussion of such apparatus is provided by Dickerson in U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,656. In that reference Dickerson teaches a pinball-like game in which the playing piece, which may be a gum ball or some sort of generally spherical container holding an item of merchandise, is delivered to the player on each play. The disclosure of Dickerson in U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,656 is herein incorporated by reference.